Infectious health care workers: should patients be told?

The risk of transmission of HIV or hepatitis B from infectious health care workers to patients is low. However; inadvertent exposure causes great conc ern amongst patients of an infected health care worker The patients of a Sc ottish dentist diagnosed hepatitis B e antigen positive were informed by le tter of their exposure. A sample of patients was sent a postal questionnair e. Most (56%) respondents reported feeling anxious on receiving the letter but almost all (93%) thought patients should always be informed following t reatment by an infectious health cave worker, although the risk was very sm all. We discuss clinical and ethical factors relating to informing patients following exposure to an infectious health care worker We suggest that a b alance should be struck between patients' wishes to know of risks to which they have been exposed, however small, and the professional view that when risks ave negligible, patients need not be informed.